Experiencing a traumatic event is very common, with lifetime self-reported exposure rates estimated at 70.4% worldwide and up to 89.7% in the United States. These elevated rates of exposure are problematic, as affected individuals may develop traumatic stress reactions such as acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although ASD and PTSD list similar symptoms, important differences distinguish the two. ASD is often used to facilitate access to treatment in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event since its diagnosis is limited to the acute phase (3–30 days) In contrast, PTSD can only be diagnosed if symptoms persist past the initial 30 days.
Objectives
The aims of the present systematic review and meta-analysis are (1) to consolidate and describe ASD rates associated with different types of traumatic events and (2) to explore the influence of selected methodological and trauma-related factors on these rates. This study represents the first systematic review and meta-analysis on the subject since the introduction of the ASD diagnosis in 1994.
Results
Results revealed that ASD rates ranged from 14.1% for war-related trauma to 36.0% following interpersonal trauma (e.g., sexual abuse), with accident-related trauma (15.9%), life-threatening illness (20.7%), and disaster-related trauma (21.9%) falling in between.
Interpersonal trauma was significantly more likely to lead to ASD than other types of events, except for disaster-related trauma. The present results are consistent with previous studies that have shown that persons exposed to interpersonal trauma are at higher risk of developing post-traumatic sequelae such as PTSD. With that being said, exposure to interpersonal violence should be considered a risk factor for the development of ASD and should be included in clinical screening practices.
Authors : Steve Geoffrion, Jane Goncalves, Isabelle Robichaud, Josette Sader, Charles-Édouard Giguère, Maxime Fortin, Josianne Lamothe, Paquito Bernard, and Stéphane Guay.(2022)
Full article : https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1524838020933844